大象传媒

I was working as a trainee metallurgist when war broke out. I had recently left grammar school. I applied to the RAF without telling my parents, as I thought they might try to stop me. After taking various tests, I was told I would train to be a pilot, either bomber or fighter. However, when the command realised what I had been doing before the war I was told it was a reserved occupation and was sent back home. I was bitterly disappointed but simply had to accept it. When several school friends were killed, I felt very guilty.
University was not a possibility, so I kept my job and studied part-time in the evenings. I did fire-watching duty on the river one night per fortnight, but we were never actually called out to a fire. We played cards all night and were given the following day off work. Warships were being built on the river and ships had their guns completed there.
Evening classes were often disrupted by air-raid warnings and we had to dive for cover and continue the class in a dug-out. Sometimes it took most of the night to walk home after the all-clear. Walkerville had a nasty raid and I remember Manners goods-yard being bombed.
At home in Newburn, everyone wanted to be friends with the grocer and the butcher, rationing was in force, and food was at a premium.
It was a common sight to see groups of women crying trying to console one who was clutching a telegram heralding the loss of a son, husband or brother. One local family lost three out of their four sons.

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